A greenhouse in a community garden used by young people with learning difficulties is being regularly vandalised by mindless thugs.

The garden in Castlemilk Park took five years in the planning and work began this summer thanks to a £1million grant from the Big Lottery Fund.

The project is a joint venture between the Jeely Piece Club, former Evening Times Community Champions, which provides activities for children and Fair Deal which works with young people with learning disabilities.

A few months ago, a dome made of plastic panels was built to allow the trainees to grow seeds but it has regularly been badly damaged.

Gangs of young vandals have been kicking in the panels, using the dome as a drinking den and ripping up plants which have been sown and planted by the trainees.

They are heartbroken that all their hard work is being destroyed by hooligans.

Tracey Black, director of the Jeely Piece Club said: “It has been a nightmare as they are wrecking the young people’s work.

“It costs us every time to get the panels repaired. They have also set fire to some of the equipment in our nearby playpark.

“They do more damage every weekend. This has been going on for months and it is soul destroying for everyone involved.

“It is such a fantastic project but we are constantly getting damage. We have been told there can be up to 60 of them there at a time.

“We cannot store anything in the dome any longer because as soon as the panels are replaced they are kicked in again.

“Local residents are getting really fed up with the noise because as soon as the panels are down they are inside banging and drinking.”

Ann Marie Docherty, chief executive of Fair Deal, said: “The garden space and dome means so much to our group. It is such a shame some people are so thoughtless about how their actions will affect others.”

Project co-ordinator Gail Cochrane is now concerned about putting in further planting in case it too is damaged.

She said: “I am really shocked and disgusted anyone would do this. What do they gain from damaging the dome and destroying the hard work of our trainees.”

Gail said the young people were upset and angry when they arrived at the garden to see the dome damage and their plants thrown around, destroying the majority of them.

The cost of the vandalism has already run into thousands of pounds which will have to come from the cash set aside for the garden’s development.

There will be further expense as a fence will have to be built around the dome in a bid to protect it from further damage.

The Jeely Piece Club and Fair Deal are asking anyone who knows who is responsible for the vandalism to get in touch.

Fair Deal can be contacted on 0141 634 4996 and the Jeely Piece Club at 0141 634 7305, through their Facebook pages or people can contact the police.